Copyright

You should be able to meet most of your instructional needs by using the following resources:

• Library e-resources and freely available online content—stable links recommended
• Open access resources and public domain materials—copying or linking
• Other copyright-protected works—copying short excerpts only

Consult the Centennial College Fair Dealing Policy for Copyright-Protected Work to learn more about fair dealing limits.

When you need to copy beyond those limits, you can request permission directly from the copyright holder, or get support by submitting the request through eReserves for the specific course, or email the Copyright Team at copyright@centennialcollege.ca

Download the permissions request template to suit your needs when requesting permissions to use a copyright protected work.

Be sure to save the obtained permissions in writing!

If your use of a copyright-protected work is not covered by an existing licence or an exception in the Copyright Act, you have the option of seeking permission directly from the copyright owner. Usually, the creator of a work is the first copyright owner of that work. However, ownership of copyright may be transferred to another individual or entity (e.g., to a publisher).

When seeking permission to use a published work, the best place to start is on the publisher’s website. Many publishers have an online form that you can fill out to request permission. The form will most likely appear on one of the following pages on their site:

• Terms of Use
• Notices
• Copyright
• Permissions
• Contact Us

If you would like support requesting permission, please submit requests through eReserves or email us at copyright@centennialcollege.ca.

If there is no online form the next step is to contact the publisher in writing (i.e., e-mail) outlining how you would like to use the material. Information to include in your e-mail request may include:

• title of book (including the edition, if applicable);
• author;
• editor (if applicable);
• ISBN/ISSN;
• title of article, excerpt, image, figure, diagram, table, etc.;
• author of article (if different from book);
• page numbers of material requested;
• purpose of use (education, re-publication, display, etc.);
• nature of the use (e.g., posted on a password protected course website, posted on an open website, use in a thesis, etc.);
• course name and number (if applicable);
• length of time for which the work will be used (or specify if you would like ongoing permission);
• estimated enrolment number for the course (if applicable);
• your deadline (i.e., the date on which you plan to use the material).

Providing as much detail as possible about how you would like to use the work may make the process of obtaining permissions more quick and straightforward.

Once the publisher has received your information, they will usually reply in writing with a proposed licence agreement. The agreement should include the following information:

• cost of use (this can range from being free to hundreds of dollars, depending on the type and quantity of the material requested, as well as the desired number of copies to be made);
• type of payment being proposed (one-time payment, pay-per-use, no charge, etc.);
• time limitation on use (e.g., for the duration of one school term, one calendar year, etc.);
• who is permitted access to the materials (e.g., only students enrolled in one particular course);
• how the copyright owner should be credited or cited when the material is posted/distributed.

The permission process can be fairly long (six to eight weeks, on average), so it is a good idea to send your request well before the material is needed.

Permission may come in the form of a letter or e-mail from the publisher and/or copyright owner or it may be in the form of a licence agreement. It is very important to keep a copy, for your records, of the written permission or licence that you receive in case you are required to provide proof of the permission in the future.

If the copyright owner has proposed a licence that will be useful to you and if you are willing to pay the fee that is requested, then you will be able to use the material in the manner stipulated by the terms of the licence agreement.

Note: While some publishers are willing to share their material for educational purposes free of charge, some are not. Additionally, copyright owners are under no obligation to provide you with permission to use their material.

General Inquiries: 

copyright@centennialcollege.ca

Gosha Trzaski
Senior Library Technician
Progress Campus
416-289-5000 ext. 55406
gtrzaski@centennialcollege.ca